SEPA Sacks 43% Of Its Workforce

Reluctant Hero · SEPA Sacks 43% Of Its Workforce

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7272410.stm

Environment workers to lose jobs

Hundreds of staff are to lose their jobs with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) after refusing to accept new pay and conditions.
About 570 employees will have their contracts terminated after failing to agree to the new terms.

This represents 43% of the total workforce at the Stirling-based agency which has 1,330 employees.

The public sector union Unison accused Sepa of "behaving like the worst Victorian mill owners".

Under the new contract, about 130 workers will have their pay frozen to bring wages in line with the new pay grading system.

Sepa said the new arrangement benefited about half of the agency's lowest paid staff and insisted that nobody would be made redundant.

A spokeswoman added that the move was being made to meet legal requirements under equal opportunity legislation.

'Dictatorial behaviour'

The notices of dismissal, which will be issued on Tuesday, will be accompanied by an offer of re-engagement on the new terms and conditions, the spokeswoman said.

A Unison spokesman said: "Unison will not accept such dictatorial behaviour and will be discussing ways to counter Sepa's latest actions using all available means including industrial action where appropriate."

Although no immediate pay cuts were involved, about 130 employees, 10% of staff, would not receive rises in the near future.

Their pay "will be temporarily held back in order to bring their salary within their new pay grade", the agency said.

A spokeswoman said: "At lunchtime on Friday, 758 of Sepa's staff (57%) had accepted the voluntary pay offer.

"The remaining staff who have not accepted the offer will receive notice on 4 March that their existing contracts of employment will be terminated at the end of May.

"These notices of dismissal will be accompanied by an offer of immediate re-engagement on the new terms and conditions."

A spokesman for the Scottish Government said the issue was "an operational matter for Sepa".

Morph

well they are not really being laid off if they are offered a job straight away at the new terms. Also over 50% agreed to the terms so it is the majority decision

Aventinian

Good move. I just wish the government in Britain were less fearful about sacking state employees. Yes, laying people off is unpleasant, but it's really not a sustainable option to keep employing as many as we do.